Kate Golden
Senior Vice President + General Counsel
Meet Kate
Kate serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Mortenson. With 20 years of experience at Mortenson, Kate leads legal, compliance, and corporate governance, specializing in complex construction agreements and industry ethics. Kate partners with clients across sports facilities, wind and solar energy generation facilities, battery storage and power transmission projects, and many more to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions.
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Mortenson in 2006 Kate clerked for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz, where she gained valuable experience in legal research and judicial processes. She then practiced construction law at a national law firm, advising clients on complex construction, employment, and intellectual property matters.
Since joining Mortenson, Kate has led legal and compliance functions, overseen corporate governance, and managed owner agreement negotiations for a variety of complex construction projects. Kate has also taught construction law at Minnesota law schools and regularly presents engineering ethics and compliance to industry groups and universities. Her unique blend of legal expertise, industry education, and leadership has established her as a trusted advisor and recognized Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers.
Education + Licenses
Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Civil Engineering
University of Iowa
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
University of Minnesota
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Mitchell | Hamline School of Law
Professional Engineer
State of Minnesota
Awards
- Fellow
American College of Construction Lawyers - Alumni Merit Award
University of Iowa College of Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Our success is not measured by how many buildings we build. Our success is measured by how many leaders we develop.
Listening to foster growth
For me, the best leadership advice I have received is to listen. Great leaders ask questions to inspire others to think differently, problem solve and collaborate. They listen to you and give you the tools needed to navigate the landmines, and they always have your back. At Mortenson, we have fostered a culture of constant development and opportunity, backed by supporting one another.
Doing the right thing, even when it’s tough
To do the right thing sometimes means we have to have the tough conversation. It’s always easy to say what people want to hear, but at Mortenson, when you are confronted with an imperfect situation, doing the right thing is saying what needs to be said and not holding back information or avoiding the conversation. It also means listening, collaborating, and taking an active role in developing solutions. Our culture empowers team members to have the courage to stop, raise their hand, and lead by example - it’s not just a slogan on the wall.
A “How might we?” mentality
One of the greatest opportunities for our industry is improving the inefficiency in our contracting processes – streamlining and eliminating waste. The need and the opportunity are clear: How can we take learnings from other industries and make our contracting processes more efficient to the benefit of all the parties involved? The more collaborative we are, the more efficient we are in setting everyone up for success – resulting in incredible projects that benefit our communities.
Personal Passions
I am passionate about creating opportunities and awareness for women in engineering and construction. Too often, young women shy away from these career paths, because they aren’t encouraged to explore these fields, or they worry about their skill level. But the truth is, young women are so hard on themselves that many don’t realize how much they excel at math and science! We need to change this trajectory. Reflecting, I wish I knew there was a Mortenson out there and the exciting opportunities in construction when I was a student in a civil engineering program a long time ago. The construction industry is full of diverse career paths; highlighted by dynamic work – creating amazing projects that stand as a testament to creative thinking and hard work, and it is ever-evolving.
Boards + Community Service
- University of Iowa, College of Engineering
Alumni Advisory Board - Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers (MnSPE)
Board of Directors - Que Tal Spanish Language Program
Former Board of Directors - American Bar Association
Construction Forum - Engineering Alliance Minnesota
- Plymouth Wayzata Baseball Association
Past Volunteer Coordinator and Board Member - Mitchell | Hamline College of Law
Past Adjunct Professor: Construction Law - University of Minnesota
Past Adjunct Professor: Construction Law, Legal and Ethical Issues in Construction - Ethics for Engineers
Speaker
Publications
"Entering the Brave New World: An introduction to Contracting for BIM"
William Mitchell Law Review
“Who’s on First? Addressing the Complexities of Who is Responsible to Design What”
Journal of the American College of Construction Lawyers
Interests
- Watching baseball
- Family time
- Iowa Hawkeyes